Sliver-balling machine



cs. FRASER ET AL I SLIVER BALLING MACHINE Filed Sept. 20/1929 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 ILFRASZR. 3 -FRA5ER.

Feb. 3, 1931.

G. FRASER ET AL SLIVER BALLING MACHINE Filed Sept. 20. 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Feb. 3, 1931. 6. FRASER ET AL 1,791,076

I SLIVER BALLING MACHINE Filed Sept. 20. 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 lol 66 FIGS.

TNVENTORS. G- FRASER. N- FRASER. 3'. FRASER.

Feb. 3, 1931. G. FRASER ET AL 1,791,076

' SLIVER BALLING MACHINE Filed Sept. 20, 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 5/ 'Y I 48 W5 n'zvmmas a .mmsm IL-FRASER.

. J'- FRASER.

Fgb. a, 1931.

G. FRASER ET AL SLIVER BALLING MACHINE Filed Sept. 20. 19 29 5 Sheets- Sheet 5 INVENT OBS G .FRASEH N .FRASER.

'aFRASE BY 7 I j 1 ATHS Patented Feb, 3, 1931 v res ews

smvER-BALLING MACHINE Application filed September 20, 1929,'Seria1 N'cn, 394,107, and in Great Britain February 28, 1929. I

This invention relates to machines contrived to form rolls or balls of sliver or the like upon a sectional arbor located between a pair of rotatable discs, being concerned more particularly with machines for making and ejecting automatically rolls of sliver delivered continuously from a carding engine or drawing frame or other machine Which delivers fibre in sliver or ribbon 0 form. I

For convenience weshall describe in detail a machine adapted for handling the sliver from a carding engine or drawing frame. I I

Solid with two separable coaxial discs are horizontal arbor-sections to which sliver'is delivered from the usual delivery rollers of the carding engine or drawing frame. Adapted to be accommodated between the 120 discs is a fluted roller driven at a surface speed which may be a small percentage faster than that of the delivery rollers. The discs and therewith the arbor-sections are 7 carried by arms pivoted to a sleeve or the i like loosely mounted on a horizontal shaft,

the arms rising with the formation of the roll of sliver, until, when the roll attains a predetermined size, or a predetermined length of sliver has been delivered, means is actuated to swing the arms apart to ef feet the separation or opening, movement of the discs with-the arbor sections and thus leave the roll of sliver free to be ejected;

To break'the sliver after ejection of the roll, the sliver from the finished roll is nipped between the arbor-sections which are moved towards one another or closedafter ejection of the roll, it being understood that, on continued rotation of the arbor-sections, sliver will be pulled in the "direction wheel driven at such a speed as to rotate the disc at a speed above normal so that the arbor-sections will immediately acquire a speed approximating that of the sliver being delivered. At the commencement ofrotation the arbor-sections'are held clear of contact with the fluted roller by the disc rims engaging the friction wheels until there are sufficient turns of sliver wound on the arbor-sections'to make contact with the fluted roller by which the arbor-sections are lifted together with the discs, so that the disc rims leave the friction wheels. and the arbor-sections with the discs are then driven by the fluted roller acting frictionally on the wound sliver. 1

When the roll has been completed and ejected the discs are returned to initial or closed position, their fall being cushioned by a hydraulic controldevice so that the rims of the discs will come to bear gently on the friction wheels.

A machine constructed in accordance with the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is apart elevatlon part vertical section; Fig. 2 1s a part plan part section; Fig. 3 a horizontal section substantially on the line 33 of Fig.

.1; Figs. 4 andfl5 are diagrammatic views illustrating'progressive stages in the operation of the machine; Fig. 6 1s a fragmentary part elevation part section showing the disc opening and closing mechanism; Figs. 7 and 8, are, respectively, a vertical section and a plan view of a hydraulic control device; Fig. 9 isa'fragmentary detail view-showing mechanism associated with the hydraulic control device; Fig. 10 is a fragmentary view of manual ejecting mechanism; Fig. 11 is a diagram showing one form of means to receive the roll after ejection. v

The machine shown comprises a pair of axially spaced discs 1' solid. with arbor sections 2 revolubleonball bearings 3 mounted on pins 4: Carried on theffree ends of a pair r ems of arms 5 whose opposite ends are bifurcated and pivoted at (3 to a sleeve 7 loosely mounted on a stationary horizontal shaft 8 sustained by spaced pable frames 9, 9, the arran;i;e ment being such that the discs 1 are movable together circularly ab at the axis of the shaft 8 and, in addition, the arms 5 are free to swing on the pivots 6 whereby the discs may be moved apart or opened to permit ejection of a roll f sliver. Disposed beneath. and between the dis-cs 1 is a fluted roller 10 secured to a shaft 11 journalled in the frames 9, 9 and carrying at one end, projecting beyond the frame 9, a gear wheel 12 meshing with a gear wheel 13 journalled on a pin 14 carried by the frame 9. The gear wheel 13 is unitary with a gear wheel 15 meshing with a gear wheel 16 solid with sprocket wheels 17, 18 and journalled on a pin 19 carried by the frame 9. The sprocket wheel 18 is wrapped by chain not shown) driven from any convenient rotating shaft of the carding engine or drawing frame. The sprocket wheel 1'? is wrapped by a chain 20 which also wraps a sprocket wheel 21 secured to a shaft 22 journalled in the frame 9, 9 and carrying a pair of friction wheels 23 axially spaced on the shaft The face width of the fluted roller 10 is such that the roller can enter the gap between the discs 1 when the discs are in lowered position and the friction wheels are so positioned on the shaft 22 that, when the discs 1 are in their lowermost position, the peripheries of said wheels engage the rims 1 of the discs 1. Above t ie discs 1 are the delivery rollers 24, 25 adapted to deliver sliver 26 between the discs 1. i

The means for effecting angular movement of the arms 5 about their pivots 6comprises axially spaced tlangemembers 27 (of which one is shown in 6) revolnbly mounted on stud 28 carried by the sleeve 7.

lnterposed between the flange members 27 and pivoted thereto at 29 are two curved links 30 the ends'of which remote from the pivots 29 are pivoted at 31 to members pivoted at 83 to the arms 5. 30 denotes stopper pins carried by the members 2'? and engageable by the links 30 in the closed po sition of the discs 1. Carried by the members 27 is a roller 27' engageable by a blade spring 27 carried by the sleeve 7 so as to locate the members 27 in their dead centre position, i. e., the positions in which the discs 1 are open and the position in which they are coaxial or closed.

Pivoted at 84 to the members .27 is member 35 (Figs. 1 and 5) to which is pivoted at 38 the upper end of a lengthwise adjustable linlr 37 of wiich the lower end is pivotcd at 38 to a member 38 pivoted at 38 to an arm 39 loosely mounted on a shaft 41 extending between the frames 9, 9 and journalled therein. 42 denotes an arm integral The lower end or the link 65 extent of valve openi interposed between a 1 able nuts 82 on L10 with the arm 89 and engageable by the upper end of a tappet rod 43 guided in lugs 44 integral with a depending lever 45 of which the upper end is pivoted at 46 to an arm 47 integral with the sleeve 7. Solid with the 7 tappet rod 43 is a follower 48 of which the under face 49 is engageable by a cam 50 -arried by the shaft 11. 51 denotes a lever adjustably pivoted at 52 and engaging a second cam 53 secured to the shaft 11. Carried by the lever 45 is an adjustable set-pin 54 of which the head 55 engaggeable by a third cam 56 secured to the shaft 11, Urg'ing the lower end of the lever 45 toward the shaft 11 and attached at 5'? to the lower end of t e lever 45 is one end of a helical tension spring 58 of which the other end is anchored at 59. The spring 58 serves normally to maintain an edge 60 presented by the lever 45 in engagement with a pin 61 carried by tl e lever 51, said edge 60 presenting a step engrageable by the pin (31 as hereinafter plained.

Solid with the sleeve is an arm 53 to which is pivoted at 64 the upper end of a li uh 65 of which the lower end is operativelv connected to a hydraulic control device including; a piston 66 movable horizontally in a cylinder 6'? secured to the fr: ne 9. Forn'ied in the piston 68, intermediate the .2 ds there-:- of, is notch 62 by a on one arm 70 of a bell-cr2 on lever fr is connected at 7 2 to the other arm '?2 bell-crank lever. A chamber (36 at r. r of the cylinder (3? 1S controllable by it vl w'l'n l:f-'i' T\Q r'f 44 opeiatneiy connee..- at to L0 one 111.111 0.

- a cruciform lever 76 pivoted a 7'? and urged by a helical compression s1 a .0 in ie direction to maintain theval 74 open being dctern by the setting of a set screw T9 the cruciform lever and normally an abutment 80. A chamber 88 at the ct. end of the cylinder 6'? is or itrolled by a valve 81 cooperating with an aperture 81 and operatively connected on the upper end o compression pring p ma" tain the nut in engae' collar 85 on the lower end of re p 9). Surmour the cylinder 6." 'luid reservoir 86 wl ich communicates u the chambers 6 66 under the control.

the valves 74 and 81.

oi the valve r end.

a bell-crank lever oi which the arm 99 is a pin-and-slot connection 94 (Fig. 9) with upwardly by a tension spring 97 at the other Pivoted at 98 above the lever 95 1s engageable with a cam 100 formed on the lever 95 and oi. which. the arm 101 is engageable by a set-screw 102. The said set screw is carried by a bracket 103 secured to the linl: 65. '1 1c lever arm 99is also cngageable by a pin 104 carried by a. brac 105 secured to the lever 45. The arm 101 presents an eye 107 penetrated by a rod 108 between a collar 109 on the lower end of which and the eye 107 is interposed a compression springl'lO. The upper end of the rod 1081s pivotally connected at 111 to a curved lever 112 pivoted at 113 and formed at its outer end with a notch 114 normally in latching engagement with member 1 15 carried by a curved lever 116 secured to the shaft 41. Secured also to the shaft 41 is a bracket presenting; arms 117, 118 having lateral projections 117, 118, respectively, engageable, respectively with i the arm 39 and with an arm loose on the shaft 41 and carrying adj ustable set-screw 119 engagcable with the arm 39. The arm 120 is movable normally with an arm 121 loose on the shaft 41 and opcratively connected by means of a link' 102 to the arm 63 on the sleeve 7. The arm'121 carries a latch 128 operatively connected to the curved lever112 wrapping of the sliver upon the arbor-sec tions commences. In the building of the roll, after the first few turns of sliver are wrapped upon the arbor-sections, the sliver is engaged by the fluted periphery of the roller 10 which is rotating in the direction indicated by the arrow B, whereby the c iscs are .raised clear of the friction wheels L3, the roller 1O effecting further rotation of the arbor sections 2 and discs 1. As the diameter of the roll increases, the discs 1 and therewith the levers 5 and rise until, at a point when the roll has attained a predetermineddiameter and whenthe edge of the lever is disengaged from the pin 61 carried by the lever 51, the step 62 on the lever 45 is latched into engagement with the pin 61 by the action of the spring 58 (as shown. in Fig. 5). When new the lever 51 raised by the the lever 45 and therewith the discs 1 are slightly raised so'that the roller 10 is relieved of load. In theraised position of the lever 45 the upper end of the tappet-rod 43 carried Win 53-,

the nuts 82.

thereby is located adjacent to the arm 42 and the member 48 on the ta'ppet-rod 43 is disposed in the path of the cam 50 as shown in Fig. 5. lVhile the discs 1 are stlll sustained the cam 53, the cam'50 engages the face 49 of the member 48 and impels the tappet rod 43 upwardly into engagement with the arm 42 which is thereupon rocked .an l,' through-the intermediary of the tram 3934',

rotates the members 27 in the direction iii-- dicated by the arrow 0 (Fig. 6) whereby the links 30 are operated to separate the arms 5 and therewith the discs 1 and arbor-sections 2. Thesliver roll being now released, drops into contact with the roller 10 which assists in ejecting the rolls S onto revolving rollers 125, 126 (Fig. 11) operatively interconnected by a chain 127 and'driven at a peripheral speed equal to that of the ejected roll. The roll S may be lifted from the rollers 12'", 12? by hand or the roller 126 may be axially inclined. relatively to the other roller 125 so as finally to cant the roll S over one endoi the rollers. During the rise of the discs 1 the piston 66 is moved in the direction indicated by thearrow D (Fig. 7) through the intermediary of the train 69, 7 O, 73, 65 64, 63 whereby fluid pressure is built up in the chamber 66 to oppose rising movement of the discs 1 so as to supply the requisite pressure between the sliver roll and the roller 10 to compact the sliver.

During this rise of the discs 1 the lower end of the arm 99 (Fi n 9) is in engagement with the upper edge of the cam 100 on the lever 95 whereby said lever is depressed in opposition to the action of the spring 97, the valve 81 being thus closed or practically closed. As the piston 66 advances into the chamber 66 fluid leaks slowly from the chamber 66 past the valve 81 into the reservoir 8,6. It will readily be understood that the degree of pressure built up within the chamber 66 during the rise of the discs 1 and consequently the density of the sliver roll is determined by the stress of the spring 84 which is regulatable' by adjustment of The valve 81 thus also acts as a safety releasevalve to prevent abnormal rise of pressure within the chamber 66 While pressure is beingxbuilt-up within the chamber 66 fluid flows from the reservoir 86 into the chamber66 by way of an aperture 74 which presents" a seating, for the valve 74. When the step 62 on the lever 45 is latched into engagement with the pin 61 at the completion of the roll, the pin 104 trips the arm 99 9) out of engagement with the cam 100 on the lever 95 whereby said lever the lever 15 and disengage the ste; 62 from the din (31 whcreu ion the discs 1 commence 1 a f l to descend and the edge of the lever e5 re-engages the pin 61. The piston 6-15 now move in the opposite d ectioii, the resist- 1 1' 'y l 1 4; ancc o eiec b iere o cushionin inc cescen of the discs,

We fluid in the chamber 66 cccaping to the reservoir 86 by way of the valvecontrolled aperture M. fidjusument of the set screw 79 to vary the extc of opening of the valve 7 1 permits regula...-.on of the speed of descent of the discs 1. its the piston 68 vacates the chamber 06 fluid from the reservoir 86 is drawn into said ciam'oer by way of the aperture 81.

When the cam 50 releases the member 48, said member and therewith the tappet rod 13 will drop by gravity into position, it being understood that, when the member 48 is released, the edge 60 of the lever 15 is in engagement with the pin 61.

A slight dwell is provided between the operation of the cams 50 and 56 so as to permit ejection of the roll before the lever 4.5 is tripped. About midway in the d scent of the discs the set-screw 119 carried by the arm 120 which, during the descent of Lild discs, has been moving upwardly to meet the downwardly moving arm 89, engages said arm 39 whereby to rotate the members 2'5 so as to operate the links to move the discs 1 towards one anoth r. When the arbor-sections come together, the sliver is entrained and severed between the contiguous faces of the arbor-sections 2 and, when the discs again engage the friction wheels 23, the formation of a new roll commences. It will be understood that, when a roll is ejected on to the rollers 125, 126, the sliver extending from the delivery rollers 24;, 25 to the ejected roll lies in a path such that, when the discs are closed, the sliver is engageable by the arbor-sections 2. 1n the descent of the discs, ust before they engage the friction wheels 23, tl e set-screw 102 (Fig. 9) moving with tl c link engages the arm 101 whereby to move the arm 99 into engagement with the cam 100 and close the valve 81, it being understood that, in this position of the discs, the pin 10 1 is clear of the arm 99.

To eifcct ejection of partially formed roll, the lever 112 is raised to unlatch the lever 116 whereupon the latch 123 is unlatched from the arm which drops. into engagement with the projection 118 on the arm 118. The upward movement of the lever 112 a so causes the arm 99 to disengage the am 100, whereupon the valve 84 opened under the action of the spring 9?. The lever 116, being new freed, is pushed forwardly, whereby the projection, 17 on the ar .1 11'? is caused to engage and to depress the arm to effect movement of the discs apart to permit ejection of the partially formed roll.

When the lever 16 is pushed forwardly, the

valve 7d is closed through the intermediary of the link 88, whereby to prevent descent of the discs. It will be seen that, when the arm 120 is released from the arm 121, the arm 120 permits depression of the arm 39 by the arm 117. Reverse movement of the lever 116 raises the arm 118, 120 and brings the setscrew 119 into engagement with the arm 39 so to rock said arm 39 to effect movement of the discs 1 towards one another. hen lever 112 is moved to latch the lever 116, the latch 123 again latches the arm 120 to the arm 121. Reverse movement of the lever 116 also reopens the valve 74 so that the discs 1 commence to descend. In the descent of the discs, just before they engage the friction wheels 23, the set screw 102 engages the arm 101 of the bell-crank lever 99,101 whereby to rock said lever to close the valve 81 ready for a restart.

We claim 1. A sliver ballin machine comprising, in combination. two spaced discs each solid wi h an arbor section, said discs being located duriug t ic ball-forming operation on a common axis with said arbor sections in abutting rclation, a roller engageable with sliver being wound on said arbor sections to impart rotary movement to said discs and arbor sections, a sleeve rockable about an axis parallel with said common axis, two arms pivoted to said sleeve on axes transverse to the axis of said sleeve, and means sustained by said sleeve and operative on completion of a ball to swing said arms apart and thereby to swing saiddiscs each with its arbor sec tion bodily apart to free the ball.

2. A sliver balling machine comprising, in combination, two spaced discs each solid with an arbor section, said discs being located during the ball-forming operation on a common axis with said arbor sections in abutting relation, a roller engageable with sliver being wound on said arbor sections to impart rotary movement to said discs and arbor sections, a sleeve roclrable about an axis parallel with said common axis, two arms pivoted to said sleeve on axes transverse to the axis of said sleeve, friction means enga ing the ball of sliver being formed for rotating said discs and arbor sections, and means rotating with saidfriction means operative to cause said arms to be swung apart to permit ejection of the ball by said friction means.

3. In a machine for forming rolls of sliver or the like, in combination, two-spaced discs revoluble on a common horizontal axis, complemcntary arbor sections solid with said disc, a shaft parallel with said axis, a sleeve loose on said shaft, arms each pivoted at one end to said sleeve on an axis transverse to that of said sleeve and carrying at the opposite end a disc and arbor section, and a rotary member linked to said arms and operative to combination, two spaced discs each solid with.

an arbor section, said discs being located during the ball-forming operation on a common axis with said arbor sectlons 1n abutting rela.

tion, a roller engageable with sliver being wound on-said arbor'sections to impart rotary movement to said discs and arbor sections, a sleeve parallel with said common axis, two arms pivoted to said sleeve on axes transverse to the axis of said sleeve, pins, one at the free end of each arm, affording journals for said discs, and means sustained by said sleeve and operative on completion ofa ball to swing said arms apart and thereby to swing said discs each with its arbor section bodily apart to free the ball.

5. A sliver balling machine comprising, in combination, two spaced discs each solid with an arbor section, said discs being located during the ball-forming operation on a common axis with said arbor sections in 'abnttingrelation, a roller engageable with sliver being wound on said arbor sections to impart rotary movementto said discs and arbor sections, a sleeve parallel with said common axis, two arms pivoted to said sleeve on axes transverse to theaxis of said sleeve, pins, one at the free end of each arm, affording journals for saiddiscs, means sustained by said sleeve and operative on completion of a ball to swing said arms apart and thereby to swing said discs each with its arbor section bodily apart to permit ejection of the ball, and means for loading the discs and arbor sections during formation of the ball and for cnshioningthe return movement of said arms, discs and arbor sections after e ection of the ball; V

6. A sliver balling machine comprising,

in combination, two spac'ed discs each solid with an arbor'section, said discs being 10 cated during the ball-forming operation on a common axis with said arbor sections in abutting relation, a roller engage'able with sliver being wound on said arbor sections to impart rotary movement to said discs and arbor sections, a sleeve parallel with said common axis, two arms pivotedtosaidsleeve on axes transverse to the axis of said sleeve,

pins, one atthe free end of each arm, afford; ing ournals for said discs, a cam rotatable with said roller, and means, influenced by said cam and operatively' connected with said arms, for swinging said arms apart and thereby swinging said discs each with its arbor section bodily apart to free the ball.

.7. A sliver ballingmachine comprising, in combination, two spaced discs each" solid with an arbor section, said discs being lo cated during the ball-forming operation on a common axis with said arbor sections in abutting relation, a roller engageable with sliver being wound on said sect-ionsfa sleeve parallel with said common axis, two arms pivoted to saidsleeveion axes transverse to the axis of said sleeve, ournal membersror said discs, said members being sustained by said arms, a'train of interconnected members operative on completion of a ball to swing said armsapart and thereby to swing said discseach with its shaft section bodily apart to tree said ball,'said train including a manually operable member, and a man ually releasable latch co-operative with said manually operable member.

8.'A sliver balling machine comprising, in combination, two spaced discs each solid with an arborsection, said discs being 10- cat-ed during the ball-forming operation on a common axis with said arbor sections in abutting relation, a roller engageable with sliver being wound on said arbor sections to impart rotary movementto said discs and arbor sections, a sleeve parallel with said common axis, two arms pivoted to said sleeve on axes transverse to the axis of said sleeve,

pins, one at the free end of each arm, afford v ing journals for said discs, a controlling disc carried by said sleeve, levers connected to spaced points of said controlling disc and to said arms, and means operative on comple tion a ball to rock said controlling disc and thereby toswing said arms apart.

-9. A sliver balling machine comprising,

in combination, two spaced discs each solid with an arbor section,.said discs beinglocated during the ball-forming operation on a common axis with said arbor sections in abutting relation, a roller engageable with sliverbeing wound on said'arbor sections. to impart rotary movement to send chaos and arbor sections, a sleeve parallel with said common axis, two arms pivoted to said sleeve on axes transverse to the axis 01": said sleeve, pins, one at the free end of each arm, afi'ordving journals for said discs, a controlling disc carried by said sleeve, levers connected Y to spacedpoints of said controlling disc and to said arms, a cam rotatable with said roller, a tappet rod actuatedloy said cam, a bellcrank lever influenced by said tappet rod and a tension rod connected to said bell crank lever and operatively connected'to said con- ,trolling disc for imparting turning move ment to said controlling disc whereby to swing said arms apart;

10. A; sliver balling machine comprising,

in combination, two spaced discs each solid with an arbor section, said, discs being located during the ball-forming operationjon' a common axis with said arbor sections in abutting relation, a roller engageabldwithj sliver 7, being wound on said arbor sections to impart rotary movement to sald discs and sleeveon axes transverse to the axis of said sleeve, pins, one at the free end of each arm, affording journals for said discs, a cam ro tatable with said roller, means influenced by said cam to lift said arms slightly to relieve the ball of pressure, a second cam rotatable with said roller, and means, influenced by said second cam and operatively connected with said arms, for swinging said arms apart and thereby swinging said discs each With its arbor section bodily apart to free said ball. c

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification.

1 GORDON FRASER. NORMAN FRASER. JOHN FRASER. 

